Comer, Herrell Raise Concerns After Biden Administration Pressures Big Tech to Promote Green New Deal Agenda
Request documents and information to understand the Administration’s push to suppress free speech, discredit reasonable debate on climate issues
WASHINGTON — Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and Subcommittee on the Environment Ranking Member Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) raised serious concerns over the Biden Administration’s ongoing efforts to suppress free speech and silence any who criticize the Administration’s unpopular Green New Deal agenda. In a letter to White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, the Republican lawmakers highlighted how McCarthy is actively pushing Big Tech to censor legitimate criticism of Green New Deal policies and emphasized how this Administration is seeking to discredit disagreement over its failed policies by blaming disinformation on social media. To conduct oversight over possible collusion of top Administration officials with Big Tech companies, the lawmakers are requesting all documents and communications between White House employees and Big Tech companies regarding the censorship of climate-related information on social platforms.
“Your call to censor those who disagree with the Biden Administration is troubling, particularly given recent plans at the Department of Homeland Security to form a Disinformation Governance Board. Committee Republicans request documents and other information regarding the use of your government office to pressure Big Tech companies to censor individuals who disagree with you,” wrote the lawmakers. “President Biden’s decision to cancel the Keystone Pipeline, attack domestic oil and gas producers, and enact other progressive Green New Deal style initiatives have led to disastrous and unpopular consequences for the American people. Instead of taking responsibility for these failed policies, the Biden Administration is blaming private companies for surging gas prices, soaring inflation, and skyrocketing utility costs. Now, the Administration’s climate team is deflecting and discrediting legitimate criticism and disagreement over its failed policies by blaming disinformation on social media. This attack on free speech is troubling.”
In a June 9, 2022, interview, McCarthy described how the Biden Administration is pushing for tech companies to monitor climate debate on social platforms and stop allowing specific individuals to spread so-called disinformation regarding climate issues. The move appears to be an effort to silence those who criticize Green New Deal style policies that are raising the cost of energy for all Americans.
“Instead of working for the American people on solutions to bring prices down, such as streamlining the permitting process, the Administration itself promotes disinformation by blaming high gas prices on the conflict in Ukraine, even though prices were rising under President Biden’s failed leadership long before Russia’s invasion. In fact, high energy prices are a direct result of the Administration’s war on domestic energy production. President Biden has refused to even meet with oil and gas companies choosing instead to ask Saudi Arabia for oil and gas,” continued the lawmakers.
Read the letter to McCarthy here.